Beet-harvesting machine.



PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907.

J. L. an M.v H. WEBB. BEBT yHAlazVBsfrIlG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 13, 1906.A

.'I SHEETS-SHEET 2.

O o C m lvllL fl1||ll| llllllll IIIIIIIIIIIIIII PATENTED MAR..26, 190.?

J. L. @L M. H. WEBB'. BERT HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, 1908.

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-PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907.

J. L. & M. H. WEBB. l BEET HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAB.. 13, 1906.

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PATENTED MAR. 26, 190'? J. L. a. M. H. WEBB.- BEBT-HARVBSTING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED 1613.13, 1906.

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PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907.- J. L. & M. H. WEBB.

BEET HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLIoAT'IoN FILED 11.111,13, loe.

J. L. & M. H. WEBB.

BEET HARVESTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 14.13.13, 1906.-

PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907.

7 SHEETS-5.32m 7.

UNITED sTATBs PATENT OBHIOH.

JOHN LYMAN WEBB AND MABoELLUs HORACE WEBB, OF THORNTON,

IDAHO.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 26,1907.

Application inea Matth 1s, i906. smal No'. 305,854.

To -all whom it jmty concern.-

Be it known thatpwe, JOHN LYMAN WEBB and MABOELLUS HORACE WEBB, citizens of" the United States, residing at Thornton, in the "county of Fremont and State of Idaho, have invented new and useful Improvements in Beet-Harvesting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to beet-harvesters,

and has for an object to provide a harvester embodying new and improved features of reliability, accuracy, ease 'of draft, and general efliciency.

A further Object of theinvention is to pro'- vide a harvester embodying a wheel carrying about its periphery a plurality'of grippingfingers arranged to engage with. and extract .the'beets from the soiland operated by -springs throwing the` gripping-fingers into such contact Aand holding them yyieldingly in such relation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a beet-harvester embodying spaced plows, arranged to throw dirteach way way from the row of standing beets', leaving the beets standing upon a narrow unsupported ridge, and with a broad-rimmed casterceptacle.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinat'ions, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1` is a view in side elevation of the improved beetharvester. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the harvester. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional `view of the harvester, taken on line 3 3 of Fig.

2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the harvester, taken on line 4 4 of- Fig.,2. Fig. 5 is a view ofthe harvester in rear elevation with the gripping and liftin wheel removed. Fig. 6 1s a detail view, in s e elevation, of a fragment of the rim of the gripthe forward end of the bar 17.

ping and lifting wheel, together with the fingers resilientlyattached thereto. Fig. 7 is a detail view in section of the rim of the lifting-.Wheel and showing the gripping-fingers in closed. position. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the rim and gripping-fingers, showing the fingers opened.' Fig. 9 is a detail view, in fron-t elevation, of the top-clipping knife with the root guide and'chute. Fig.` 10 is a View in reverse elevation of the top-clipping knife. Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view of lthe bearing to' which the lifting-wheel is pivoted.

` Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the severall views.

' The beet-harvester forming the subjectmatter of this application comprises a vehicle embodying. the axle 12, upon which are mounted the usual carrying-wheels .13. and

' provided with a pole or tongue 14 or other approved means for attaching the draftand. further provided, 'if found desirable, with a seat, as 15, for accommodation of the driver. Beneath the pole is mounted a caster-wheel 16 forwardly of the carrying-Wheel and secured in any approved manner, as by a link or bar 17, pivoted beneath the pole. Beneath the pole are also suspended plows 18 and 19,

spaced apart andfollowing behind the casterwheel and so positioned yas to throwa furrow upon -eachside of the track of the casterwheel. The plows 18 and 19 arev secured to the pole in any approved manner, as by their respective beams 2O and 21, pivoted, as at 22, and provided withfa yoke 23, accommodating For. adjusting the vertical height of the plows 18and 19 a shaft 24 is mounted upon the vehicle transversely thereof and provided with a lever 25,

having a sprin -actuated pawl 26, en aging a segmental rac 27 in the usual wel -knovm manner. T o the shaft 24 are also rigidlysecured the arms 28 and 29 to occupy positions approximately above the beams 20 and 21 and in a plane substantially perpendicular to the lever 25. From the levers 28 and 29, respectively, links 30 and 31 extend downwardly and are pivotally connected with a IOO bar '32, extending transversely across and the p ate 32 is also pivoted a link 33, extending forwardly toV and pivotally connected l with the frame of the vcaster-wheel 16.

' rigidi secured to the beams 1.9 and 20. To

I Transversely across the tongue, somewhatforwardly of the caster-wheel, is rigidly se-4 A cured'a frame-piece. 34, to which are rigidly secured longitudinal frame-pieces 35, 3 6, 37,

' Iand 38, extending rearwardly therefrom and connectedrigidly with the axle 12. The outer frame-.pieces and 38 are curved downwardly at the rear off'the axle, as at 39, and are provided with alined bearings 40 and 41,- in which are journaled. trunnions 42 and 43,

.extending toward each. other, but with their standing therefrom in the usual manner, and

peripheral'rim 51.4 About andV concentric wlth the hub bands 52 and 53 are with a Wide rigidly secured to the spokes l50 and iwith a plurality of threaded eyebolts 54 extending therethrough and with' nuts' 55 engaged thereupon and in contact with the inner surface of the said bands 52 and 53.

Spaced about the inner surface of the peripheral rim of the Wheel are aplurality of ears 56, rigidly secured to the said rim and formmg pivotal bearings for the levers 57,"as at 58.

The levers '57 are movable/about their pivots 58 to assume a position substantially parallel with the rim 51, as shown in Fig. 8, or to assume an inclination thereto, as shown in Fig'. 7, with their extremities projected rigidlybeyond the lines of the said rim and lield in such, position by 'means of springs 59, secured at one end tothe eyebolt54 and pivotally secured at their opposite ends to the said levers 57. To the outer extremities of levers 57 are rigidly secured ngers 60, positioned and dpro.. P0'

portioned when the leversare in a close sition, as shown in Fig. 7, to extend overthe peripheral rim of the wheel past the center line thereof, as plainly shown in said Fig. 7, and

when the said levers. are in the position approximately parallel with the plane of the rim to stand approximately perpendicular to the plane of the said rim.- At theextreme outer ends the arms 57v are provided with trunnions 61' and upon which are journaled rollers 62.

.Rigid and preferablyintegral with the frame-pieces 44 and 45 is carried a curved' flame-piece 63, extending upwardly andK curved rearwardly toward the periphery of the rim 51` and held in such position in any a proved manner, as bythe races 64. To t e frame-pieces44 and 45 and the curved frame-pieces 6 3 are rigid-ly secured the curved cams or guides 65 and 66, positioned to engage the rollers 62 when the levers 57 are inthe position shown in Fig. 7 and to move and retain the said rollers and their associated arms to and maintain them in the position shown in Fig. 8, with the gripping-fingers 60 separated. The cams 65 and 66 are spaced and disposed upon op osite sides of .the rim 51 and terminate at t eir upper extremities somewhat forwardly of the vertical from the axle 48 and extend in an arc-line substantially concentric with the rim 51 to a point substantially beneath the said axle 48, so that the gripping-fingers areseparated upon the up er side of tlie wheel and are retained in suc separated state until they reach a point substantially beneath the axle, when the rollers 62 are releasedby the cam-track 65 and 66 and are permitted to yield to the tensions of thesprings 59 to assume the position shown in Fig. 7. 1

To the upper extremity of the curved frame-piece -63 is removably secured a knife 67, having an inclined cutting edge spaced a little away'from the rim 51 vand in position to sever the tops from vbeets which are in the grasp of the` ingers60. Adjacent the knife 67 are the'upwardly-projecting arms68, to which is secured a guide 69, positioned to receivethe beet-root after being released by the fingers 60 and with its lower end in position to discharge the beet into the adjustable chute 70.

The chute 70 is-mounted in any approved manner to be tilted, as upon the trunnions 71 and 72, and provided with any approved means for tiltin the same and holdingit at an obtained an desired inclination, as the segment 73, engagingv the pinion 74', operated by meansv of the crank-'arm 75 or in any ap- 'proved .and convenient manner.

Upon .opposite sides of the lifting-wheel receptacles 76 and 77 are rigi'dly secured upon the axle 12 and in position to receive roots discharged from the chute 70 and provided with bottoms 78, inclined rearwardly.' Atv I their rearward ends the receptacles `76 and 77 are provided, respectively, with end-gates 79 and 80, hinged at their upper edges in any approved manner, as upon the 'rods 81 and 82, extending transversely of the said receptacles and secured in closed position in any approved manner, as by rods 83 -and 84, re-

spectively plilyoted thereto and extending forwardly t ough theV inclined bottoms 78 The curved links and 86 are respectively pivoted to arms 87 and 88, rigidly carried upon a shaft 89, journaled,.as in the alined IIO- ,and connected with curved links 85 and 86.

bearings 90 and 91, upon the frameieces 3,5 and 38 and operated by means of t e handlever 92.

To raise the liftingwheel out of operative Acontact with the ground, links 93 and 94 are pivoted to brackets 95 and v96, rigidly secured upon the .frame-pieces 44 and 45, adjacent the bearings 46 and 47 upon opposite sides of the lifting-wheel and extend forwardly to and are connectedwith curved links 97 and the first operation performed'. Following todischarge the foliage at one side of the lift-- 98,. pivotally secured to arms 99 and 100, l which are rigidly carried upon a shaft 101, journaled upon the frame-pieces 35 and 38, as by the bearings 102 and 103, and operated by a hand-lever 104. To assist in raising the lifting-wheel upon its pivotal trunnions 42' and 43, springs 105 and 106 are secured with their rearward ends connected toV the brackets 95 and 96 and their forward ends connected with eyebolts 107 and 108, extending through upstanding frameieces 109 and 110 and adjustable by means o nuts 111 and 112, engaged upon the said eyebolts.

Adjacent the rim 51 and beneath the curved frame-piece 63 is sus ended an inclined trough 113 by means o links 114 and 115, pivoted beneath the axle 12 'and receiving oscillatory motion lr'rom the rod f 116, which receives reciprocating motion in any approved manner, as by means of the roller 117, ournaled upon the extremity ofthe said rod and engaged by a cam 118, carried upon the hub of one of the carrying-wheels 413, and the return movement of the said rod accomplished by means of the spring 119, 'secured to an eye 120, ri idwith the axle, and at its other end with a Ing 121, rigid with the said rod 1 16.

In operation draft is. ap lied to the machine in anyusual and wel -known manner and the machine drawn longitudinally of a row of beets in such manner that thecasterwheelfl crushes the -tops of the said beets as the caster-wheel the spaced lows throw the dirt away from the row of eets upon each side, leaving the beets standing in a narrow comb of soil. Following the plows comes the lifting-wheel, with its gripping-fingers held in extended position, as shown in Fig. 8, by the cams 65 and 66 until the said grip- I ping-fingers are immediately above the beet to be pulled, when the said fingers are released from, the camin the manner above described, and under the tension of the springs 59 the, iingers are closed top;grip the beet and liftit from the soil, carrying it about its periphery, as;v shown in Fig. 1, into contact with the knife 67, by which the beet is severed from the foliage, the beet falling upon the guide 69 and the foliage beneath the knife and guide 69 into the inclined trough 113, which receives a reciprocating motion, as described,

ing-wheel. The severed beet-root is guided by the guide 69 into the chute 70, which is inclined toward either side to discharge lthe beet into either one .of the receptacles 76 01; 77. W'hen the receptacle is filled, it maybe at once emptied by the movement of the lever 92 to open the end-Oates 79 and 80, or the chute may be reversey tilted to fill the oppcsite receptacle and both such receptacles emptied,smultaneouslyf depth of out and are lifted and held out of operative contact vby means of the lever 2 5, engaged bythe segmental rack 27, as shown, the said plows being shown in Fig. 1 as in o erativ-e position and in Figs. 3 and 4 as out o o erative contact.

hen the device isnot in operation, the

lifting-wheel is lifted from contact with the ground by throwing .the lever 104 forwardly until the shaft 101 is within the curvature of the curved link 97 whereupon the strain upon the rod 93 is'below the pivoted point and the lever is held from backward movement inv the usual well-known manner.

What we claim isl 1. In a machine of the class described,a wheeled vehicle, a pulling-wheel journaled upon the vehicle in the rear of the vehicleaxle, a receptacle carried by the vehicle forwardly of the pulling-axle, gripping 'members carried'by the pulling-wheel, and means for separating the gripping members adjacent the receptacle.

2. In a machine of theclass described, a wheeled vehicle, a pulling-wheel journaled upon the vehicle in the rear of the vehicleaxle', a receptacle carried by the vehicle'forwardly of the pulling-wheel axle, grippinglingers carried by and extending transversely from opposite sides of the pulling-wheel, and means for separating the gripping members adjacent the receptacle.

8. 'In a machineV of' the class described, a

wheeled vehicle, a pulling-wheel journaled upon the vehicle in the rear .of the vehicleaxle, a receptacle carried by the vehicle forwardly oflthe-pulling-wheel axle, grippingngers curved about the periphery of the pulling-wheel, and means for separating the gripping-fingers. adjacent the receptacle.

4. In a machine of. the class described, a wheeled vehicle, a pulling-wheel journaled upon the vehicle in the rear of the vehicleaxle, a receptacle carried by the vehicle forwardly of the pulling-wheel axle, grippingfingers curved about the periphery of the pulling-wheel, resilient means arranged to hold the grip ing-fingers in gripping position, and, means 'or separating the gripping-iingers adjacent the receptacle.

5. In a machine of the class described, a

wheeled vehicle, a pulling-wheel journaled upon the vehicle in the rear of the vehicleaxle, a receptacle carried by the vehicle forwardly of the pulling-wheel axle, grippingfingers curved about the edges of the pullingwheel and extending transversely from opposite sides, resilient means arranged to hold IOC the gripping-fingers in gripping position, and Y means for separating the gripping-fingers adl jacent the receptacle,

6. In a machine of the class described, 1a wheeled vehicle, a pulling-wheel journaled upon .the vehicle inthe rear of the vehicleaxle, a receptacle carried by the vehicle` forwardlyof thepulling-wheel axle, gripping members carried by the pulling-wheel, a knife adjacent the receptacle, means adjacent the knife for discharging into the receptacle, means beneath .the vehicle for discharging at one side of the pulling-wheel, and means for separating the gripping-.fingers adjacent the knife.

fingers curved about the edges of the pu 7. In a machine of the class described, a wheeled vehicle, a pulling-Wheel journaled upon the vehiclein the rear of the vehicleaxle, a receptacle carried by the'vehi'cle forwardly of the pulling-wheel axle, grip ingiingers curved about the edge ofthe pu lingwheel and extending transversely from opposite sides, a knife adjacent t e receptacle, means adjacent the knife for discharging into the receptacle, means beneath lthe vehicle for site sides, a knife disposed adjacent the pe'-- 4 riphery of the pulling-wheel and adjacent the receptacle, a discharge arranged to discharge vmaterial from the knife into the receptacle, a

discharge beneath the vehicle arranged to discharge material at one side of' the' pulling- K wheel, resilient means arranged to hold-the gripping-fmgers yieldingly in gripping position, *means carried by the frame for separating the gripping-fingers after passing the knife.

9. In a'inachine of the class described, a wheeled vehicle, a pulling-wheel journaled upon the vehicle, a receptacle carriedby the vehicle, means positioned to discharge mate'- rial from the periphery of the pulling-wheel into the receptacle, means disposed beneath the vehicle arranged to discharge material at lone side-of the pulling-wheel, and means connected with the vehicle-wheels'. for shaking the lower discharge".

10. In a machine of the class described, a wheeled vehicle, a pulling-Wheel journaled upon the vehicle, means carried by the pulling-wheel for engaging and lifting material from the ground, a receptacle carried by the vehicle, means arranged to discharge matev rial from the peripheryl of the pulling-wheel into -the receptacle, a chuteI arranged beneath the vehicle and po, itioned to receive material from the periphery of the pulling-wheel,

; and means connected with the vehicle-Wheels for imparting a shaking movement .to the chute. y Y i 11. A machine of the class described, com- Y prising a wheeled vehicle, a`=ul-ling=w-heel j ournaled upon. the vehicle in e'laal' oflthe vehicle-axle, a receptacle carried bythe ve hicle forwardly of theV pulling-Wheel'- axle', gripping-ngers curved about the edgesV ofA and extending transversely. from opposite.

sides of the pulling-Wheel, a' k11ife;,'d1spsed adjacent the periphery of the pulling-wheel resilient means arranged to hold the gripping-fingers yieldingly in gripping position, meanscarried by the vehicle forseparating the fingers after passing the knife, a chute# disposed beneath the 'vehicle and positioned to receive material fromthe periphery of the pulling-Wheel and below the knife, and means/ connected with the vehicle-wheels for imparting a shaking movement'to the chute.

12. In a machine of the class described, a Wheeled vehicle, a4 pulling-wheel journaled upon the vehicle and embodying a broad peripheral'band arranged for contact with and rotation by the ground, grip lng members carried by -the rim, -means to old the gripping membersin gripping position, -and means for releasing the gripping members.

13. In a machine of the class described, a wheeled vehicle, a pulling-Wheel journaled upen the vehicle and embodying a broad peand the receptacle, means disposed adjacent j the knife for discharging into the receptacle,

ripheral band arranged for contact with and K rotation by the ground, gri ping-fingers curved about opposite edges o the peripheral band and extending transversely thereof, resilient'means arranged to hold the gripping-fingers yieldiiigly in grip ing position, and means carried by the-vehic e for separating the gripping-fingers.

14. A machine of the class described, comprising a wheeled vehicle, a pulling-wheel ujournaled upon the vehicle and rearwardly of the vehicle-axle, and embodying a broad peripheral band arranged for contact with'and" rotation by the ground,- `a receptacle carried by the vehicle forwardly of the pulling-wheel axle, fingers curved about the edges of thev peripheral band and extending transversely thereof, resilient means arranged to hold the gripping-fingers in gripping osition, and means carried bythevehicle or .separating .the gripping-fingers adjacent the receptacle.

l5. A machine ofthe classdescribed, comprising a wheeled vehicle,`a pulling-wheelA journaled upon the vehicle rearwardly of the vehicle-axle and embodying a broad peripheral band arranged for contact with and rotation by the ground, grippinfingers curved about the edges of the perip era band, resilient means arranged to hold the fingers ,yieldingly in gripping carried by the vehicle erwardly of the ulling-wheel axle, a knife carried iby theve icle adjacent the receptacle, means arranged to position, la receptacle discharge-material from the knife into the refcep'tacle, and means carried by the vehicle for separating the gripping-ngers adj aeent the knife.

16. A maehine of the Olass described, comprising a Wheeled vehicle, a pulling-Wheel Ajournaled upon the'vehicle rearwardly of the vehicle-'axle and embodying a broad-peripheral band arrangedfor contact With and rotation by the ground, a receptacle carried by the vehicle forwardly of the gripping-Wheel axle, a knife adjacent the receptacle and the periphery of the pulling-wheel, means arranged to discharge material from the knife to the receptacle, gripping-fingers curved .about the 'edges of the peripheral band ofthe pulling-Wheel and extending transversely thereof, resilient means arranged to hold the gripping-lingers yieldingly in gripping position, means 'carried by the vehicle for sepa'- rating the gripping iingers adjacent the knife, a chute disposed beneath the vehicle adjacent to and in position tO receive material from the periphery of the pulling-Wheel, and means connected with the vehicle-Wheels arranged to impart a shaking movement to ,the chute.

In testimony whereof We have a'liiked our signatures in presence Of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN LYMAN WEBB. MABOELLUS HORACE WEBB.

Witnesses: ALBERT R. NICHOLS,

NELSON J. BEAUREGARD. 

